Register



y ,1937. v F. Q. RAST 2,079,423

REGISTER Original Filed Feb. 2; 1935 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS..

Patented May 4, 1937 UNITED STATES ,079,423 naers'ma Frederick Quintus Bast, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a

York

corporation of New I Original application February 2, 1935, Serial No.

5,026. Divided and this application April 25,

1935, Serial No. 18,124

g 12 Claims. This case is a divisionof my application Serial No. 5,026, filed February 2, 1935, and relates to registering mechanism.

The objects of the invention are to provide novel overthrow preventing means for a register; more specifically to provide positive overthrow preventing means; and further to provide such means to be equally effective upon either direct value entry into a register order or upon transfer entry from a lower order.

Other objects will appear from the further parts of the specification and from the drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a section through the register and transfer shafts,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the units and tens orders of the register,

Fig. 3 is a section along line 33 of Fig. 1 through one order, I

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail position views showing parts of Fig. 3 in different positions.

The register orders are rotatably mounted on fixed shaft ill. Each of the orders shown com-- prises a cup-shaped indicating drum it fast to the right side of a carrier disk l2. Fast to the left side of the carrier dish is a smooth circular disk; i3. the periphery of which is interrupted by a single notch it. To the left side of disk i3 is secured at Geneva transfer element i5 hav- 30 ing two teeth and a notch between them which is in line with notch M of disk i3. Carrier disk i2 has a hub collar 16 rotatably mounted on a hub sleeve ii in turn rotatably carried by fixed shaft it. The right hand end of sleeve l1, ex== 35 tending beyond the end of collar i5, rigidly car ries a gear [8 with twenty teeth. The left end of sleeve ll, extending past disk i3, is integrally provided with a ratchet wheel is having ten teeth.

Rotatably mounted on collar l6 against the base of indicating drum ii is a ratchet wheel 20 also having ten teeth. Ratchet wheel 20 is rigidly pinned, for common rotation, to a pinion r 22 located between the latter ratchet wheel and transfer gear l8. Pinion 22 is also rotatably mounted on sleeve l6 and meshed with a gear element 23 which is differentially operated to en ter values into the register order.

The gear elements 23 of the successive orders are intended to be successively operated. So far as the present invention is concerned, any suitable means may be used to differentially and successively operate gear elements 23. For example, means similar to that shown in Patent 524,814 may be employed.

For convenience, the rigidly connected elements l I, I2, l3 may be termed the indicating unit, ratchet wheel I! may be termed the transfer or external ratchet while ratchet wheel 20 60 may be termed the entry or internal ratchet.

Plvotally carried by the base of indicator drum II is a pawl 24 pressed by a spring 25 against the teeth of the entry ratchet. A similar pawl 26 is pinned to disk l3 and pressed by spring 21 against the transfer ratchet. Pawls 24 and 28 are cut away adjacent their carrying member to provide shoulders 24 and 26. These shoulders carry the opposite ends of a triangular lock plate 28 loosely passing through alined holes 29, 30, and (M respectively in elements ll, l2, and i3. The end holes 29 and 31 are oblong to restrict lock. plate 28 to movement in its own plane.

With both pawls 24 and 26 fully seated between teeth of their ratchets 24 and 28, the apex of lock plate 28 is spaced from the outer end of the hole 36 in disk l2.

In entering a value in either the units or tens order, shown in the drawing, the gear element 23 of the order is diiierentially operated to cause counterclockwise rotation (Fig. l) of the meshed pinion 22 and the ratchet wheel 2t rigidly con nected to the pinion. As ratchet wheel 28 rotates counterclockwise, through its engagement wit pawl 2%, it correspondingly rotates indicator unit. During this direct entry into an order, pawi lit-also moves bodily with the indicator unit and rides over the teeth. of the transier ratchet t3 which then being held stationary by the transfer mechanism, as will be later explained.

As pawl 2t rides over the teeth of ratchet t9, it rises as it passes the crest of a ratchet tooth and its shoulder to lifts its end of locir. plate 22 tilting the plate about the shoulder it of pawl 24. The resulting position of the lock: plate is shown Fig. 4:. In this tilted position oi plate 28, it does not interfere with the movement of the indicator unit.

For illustration, the register shown is of the descending or subtracting type and in Fig. 2 the units order is at the right and the tens order at the left. If the units gear element 23 is operated to enter a 3 value, the units indicating a,- mmbly will be rotated three steps counterclockwise (Fig. 1) so that if it initially stood at 9, the units order after the entry of a 3 will read 6. When the units order passes from 0 to 9, a transfer takes place to the tens order to subtract one irom the reading of the latter order.

Included in the transfer means are Geneva transfer pinions 33, one for each of the orders except'the units order. The transfer pinions 33 are rotatably carried by shaft 34. Each pinion 33 is formed with four wide teeth 35 intermediate which are the four narrower teeth 36. Teeth 35 contact at the right hand end with the smooth periphery of disk l3 of one order and at the other end are in position to mesh with the twenty-toothed transfer gear it of the next higher order. Teeth 36 do not reach as far as the periphery of. disk I3 but overlap the path of movement of the Geneva tooth 15 carried by the side of said disk l3 and are also in position at the other end to mesh with transfer gear I8.

When a lower order is in any of its 9 to pcsiticns, the smooth periphery of its disk [3 is riding between a pair of wide teeth 35 of the transfer pinion 33 and is thereby preventing rotation of the latter. As a result, the transfer gear I8 of the next higher order, meshed with this pinion 33, is likewise held stationary. The gear 18 being rigidly connected with transfer ratchet i3 also holds the latter against movement. Normally, therefore, ratchet I8 is held stationary. When the units order passes from 6 to 9, notch H of disk I3 comes opposite the iower one of the pair of wide teeth 35 engaged with the disk and Geneva element l5 engages the short tooth 35 between said pair of long teeth and starts rotating pinion 33.

As the rotation proceeds, the lower wide tooth moves into notch 54 and is then engaged by element 5 to rotate pinion 33 a further step. The total rotation of pinion 33 will be through two teeth at the end of which a pair of teeth 36 will again be engaged with the smooth periphery of i3 to be held stationary.

Fig. 1 shows the end of a transfer operation. As pinion 33 was rotated through two teeth, it rotated the meshed, coacting, gear l8 of the tens order through two teeth equivalent to rotation of entry gear 22 through a single tooth and the entry of one into the tens register order.

Rotation of gear 18 is transmitted to its rigidconnected external, transfer ratchet I9. Through pawl 25, the movement of ratchet l9 moves the tens indicating unit along with it to enter one therein. This completes the transier from the lower to the higher order. The rotation of gear H was effected by a transfer from the units order as a variable entry was made into the latter. As the variable entry operations of the orders are successive, gear 23 of the tens order is now stationary and consequently the transfer into the order does not occur simultaneously with an entry into the latter by operation of its gear :23. the transfer entry is not lost as would happen were the tens order to be operated by its gear 23 while a transfer was taking place.

During the transfer entry, as ratchet 20 is stationary, its pawl 24 moving with the indicating unit rides over a tooth of the ratchet and thereby tilts lock plate 28 in a direction opposite to the one shown in Fig. 4. The movement of the indicating unit is not interfered with by this action of the lock plate.

The function of lock plate 23 is to positively prevent overthrow during either the direct or transfer entry into an order, that is to prevent the indicating unit moving ahead due to its own momentum after the entering means has ceased movement.

Thus, when transfer pinion has completed its movement, it is positively arrested in position by its operating Geneva disk I3, in turn causing the positive arrest of gear l3 and ratchet IQ of the next higher order. At this time, the gear 23 and therefore the pinion 22 and ratchet 20 of the higher order are also stationary. Now with ratchets n and 20 both at rest, should the lndicating unit move ahead due to its own momentum, the pawls 23 and 23 bodily moving with the indicating unit both simultaneously ride up along the slope of teeth of their respective ratchets l3 and 23 and rise. As the pawls rise, their shoulders 24' and 23' lift the opposite ends of lock piece 28 and before the pawls succeed in passing the crest of the teeth engaged thereby, the apex of piece 23 engages the outer end of opening 33 in carrier disk l2 of the indicating unit. This stops further rise of the lock piece and therefore of the pawls, thus preventing them from passing over the crest of the teeth of their ratchets. In this manner, overthrow of the indicating units or movement of the indicating unit ahead of either ratchet I! or 20 is positively prevented.

Since no transfer is effected to the units order, its external ratchet l9 and connected gear II are not held stationary by transfer means. To hold these elements stationary, one of the bail arms 38 which suspend shaft 33 from a fixed shaft 33 (Fig. 1) is formed with a tooth 40 (Fig. 2) which engages between teeth of the units order gear I! to lock it against rotation.

Briefly summarized, the operations are as follows: Differential operation of gear 23 of the units order rotates pinion 22 and connected ratchet 20 which through pawl 23 rotates the units order indicating unit. Should the latter pass through steps to 9, then its Geneva tooth element I will rotate transfer pinion 33 to actuate gear 18 and connected ratchet I! of the tens order. The movement of ratchet I9 is communicated through pawl 26 to the tens order indicating unit. After the entry into the units order by gear 23, the tens order gear 23 is operated and action of the tens order similar to that described with respect to the units order takes place. At the time entry into an order by operation of its gear 23 takes place, its ratchet I3 is stationary, When a transfer entry takes place the direct entry ratchet 20 is stationary. Accordingly, when either ratchet stops at the end of its entry operation, overthrow movement of the indicating unit brings lock piece 23 against the outer end of hole 30 of the indicating unit and stops the overthrow movement before the indicating unit can move the equivalent of a 1 entry.

While the invention has been explained in the form herein disclosed, it is understood that variations, modifications, and changes within the principles of the invention are within the scope of the following claims. For example, where the indicating unit is not to receive any transfer entries, the lock piece may be normally held in the inclined position shown in Fig. 4 by fixing the pawl 26 in its upper position.

I claim:

1. In combination; a value receiving wheel, gearing for actuating the wheel to enter a value therein, a locking device having a normal release position with respect to said wheel, a member stationary during the entry actuation of the wheel, and operative connections between said lockim device, stationary member, and said gearing for shifting said locking device into a locking position with respect to the wheel in response to an attempt of the latter to move ahead of the gearing.

2. In combination; a differentially operable value receiving element, a ratchet member, means for actuating the ratchet member, a pawl carried by said element and coacting with the ratchet member to communicate movement of the ratchet member to the element to enter a value into the latter, a lock member having a normal release position with respect to the element, and operative connections between said pawl and lock member for shifting the lock member into looking position with respect to said element in response to an attempt of the element to mov ahead of the ratchet member.

3. In combination; a differentially operable value receiving element, a ratchet member with inclined ratchet teeth, means for actuating the ratchet member, a pawl carried by the element and engaging said ratchet teeth to communicate movement of the ratchet member to said element to enter a value into the latter, a lock member having a normal release position with respect to said element, and operative connections between said pawl and locking member and between said 5 locking member and element to shift the locking member into locking position with respect to the element upon the pawl riding up the incline of a ratchet tooth when the element moves ahead 5. In combination; an entry-receiving element,

variable entry gearing for actuating the element to enter different values, a transfer gearing to actuate the element through a transfer step, a lock device, and operative connections between said device and both the transfer and variable gearings for shifting the device under joint control of both gearings into locking engagement with the element upon overthrow movement of the element with respect to the transfer gearing.

6. In combination; registering mechanism including an entry-receiving wheel, a pair of pawls movably carried by opposite sides of the wheel, ratchet wheels, one at each side of the wheel engaged by the pawl at the corresponding side, means effective while one ratchet wheel is stationary for actuating the other ratchet wheel to communicate entry movement through the coacting pawl to the wheel, and a lock piece operatively connected to the opposite pawls and the wheel to move with the latter and shifted by the pawls, upon the latter riding up the teeth of their respective ratchet wheels, into a position for looking the pawls against movement with respect to the wheel to thereby prevent the pawls from riding over the crest of teeth of the ratchet wheels and to thus prevent overthrow movement of the wheel.

7. In combination; registering mechanism including an entry-receiving wheel having an aperture therethrough, a lock piece passing through said aperture with its opposite ends projecting past the sides of the aperture, a pair of pawls pivotally carried by opposite sides of the wheel and operatively engaged with the oppositely proiecting ends of the lock piece to support the latter in a release position with respect to the wheel, a pair of ratchet wheels, one at each side of the wheel and each engaged by the pawl at the corresponding side, means effective while one ratchet wheel is stationary for moving the other ratchet wheel to effect an entry movement, through the coacting pawl, of the wheel, the latter ratchet wheel being stationary following its entry effecting movement, said pawls, when the wheel tends to overthrow with both ratchet wheels stationary, riding up the teeth of their respective ratchet wheels to force the lock piece into locking engagement with a wall of said aperture and to thereby lock the pawls against pivotal movement relative to' the register wheel whereby the wheel, pawls, and ratchet wheels are locked to each other.

8. In combination; a driven entry-receiving element, a driving element, a ratchet having inclined teeth and carried by one said element and a pawl carried by the other said element and engaging a ratchet toothv to couple the driven element to the driving element for entry-effecting actuation by the latter, movement of the driven element ahead of the driving element causing the pawl to ride up the incline of the ratchet tooth engaged thereby, and a locking device between the pawl-carrying element" and the pawl for preventing the pawl from riding up the incline of the engaged ratchet tooth to such an extentas to pass the crest of said tooth.

9. In combination; a driven entry-receiving element, a driving element, a ratchet with inclined teeth carried by one said element, a pawl carried by the other said element and engaging a ratchet tooth to couple the driven element to the driving element for entry-effecting actuation by the latter, movement of the driven element independently of the driving element causing the pawl to ride up the incline of the ratchet tooth engaged with the pawl, and a locking device movable with the pawl-carrying element and actuated by the pawl, when it rides up part of .the incline of the engaged ratchet tooth, into locking position with respect to the pawl and its carrying element for locking the pawl against further movement along the tooth incline to thereby limit the movement of the driven element relative to and independently of the driving element.

10. In combination; a driven entry-receiving element, a driving e1ement, a coupling between the elements for effecting entry actuation of the driven element by the driving element, and a locking device movable with the driven element and shifted by said coupling, upon tendency of the driven element to move ahead of the driving element, into locking engagement with a part of the driven element.

11. In combination; a driven entry-receiving element, a driving element, a ratchet and pawl coupling between the driving element anddriven element to effect entry actuation of the driven element by the driving element, and a locking device between the ratchet and pawl coupling and the entry-receiving element shifted by relative movement of the ratchet and pawl, when the driven element tends to move ahead of the driving element, into locking coaction with respect to the driven element and to the ratchet and pawl.

12. In combination; an entry-receiving element, means for effecting variable entry operation of the element, means, operable non-concurrently with the varlable entry means, for effecting a transfer entry operation of the element, and a single locking device coacting with the element to'prevent effective overthrow movement of the element during either the transfer operation or the variable entry operation of the element.

FREDERICK Q. RAST. 

